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Snow blanketing the spruce forest of Girdwood with the Chugach Mountains above Turnagain Arm
Northernmost temperate rainforest on Earth

Weather & Webcams

Girdwood weather turns on a dime, from bluebird powder days to warm rain in the same week. Here is what the valley throws at you, and where to watch it happen live.

The climate at a glance

  • 150 to 200 inSnow that falls in town each winter
  • about 600 inSnowfall up on the peak at Alyeska
  • 57 FSummer average, reaching up to 70 F
  • 34 FWinter average through the dark months

Girdwood sits in a steep coastal valley at the head of Turnagain Arm, where moist Gulf of Alaska air runs headlong into the Chugach Mountains. The result is a wet maritime climate, the northernmost temperate rainforest in the world: heavy snow in winter, frequent rain the rest of the year, and conditions that can swing from sun to sideways snow in a matter of hours.

Rain most days, and that is the good news

Girdwood is a wet place, and locals will tell you that is exactly the point. All that moisture is what stacks the mountains with snow, so a soggy forecast in the valley usually means a very good day up on the slopes.

Wet season45%+

From August to February, better than a 45% chance that any given day is a wet one. This is the season that builds the snowpack.

Dry season35%

From March to July things dry out, but only so much: still about a 35% chance of rain on any given day. Pack a shell either way.

The optimist’s forecast: the wet weather is what makes the snow. When it is pouring in the valley, it is very often dumping powder at Alyeska, so precipitation here is a promise of great skiing to come.

The green Girdwood valley in summer, glacial river winding below snow-streaked Chugach peaks
The same valley in summer: temperatures average about 57 F and can reach 70 F on the warmest days.

Current conditions and forecast

We do not fake a live number here. For the real, up to the hour picture, go straight to the source. The National Weather Service covers the Girdwood townsite, and Alyeska Resort posts the mountain report with new snow and base depths.

NWS Girdwood point forecastThe National Weather Service 7 day forecast, hourly graph, and any active advisories for the Girdwood townsite.Open the forecast on weather.gov →Alyeska mountain and snow reportNew snowfall, base depth, summit conditions, and lift and terrain status straight from Alyeska Resort.View the report on alyeskaresort.com →

Girdwood & Alyeska webcams

There are 20 webcams and counting around the valley. The best live views come from Alyeska Resort’s cameras across the mountain, and the Alaska DOT and PF traffic cameras let you scout the Seward Highway drive along Turnagain Arm before you leave.

Alyeska Resort live camsLive cameras across the mountain, from the base area to mid mountain to the summit, on Alyeska Resort’s mountain report page.Watch the cams on alyeskaresort.com →Seward Highway road camsAlaska DOT and PF traffic cameras along the Seward Highway and Turnagain Arm, handy for scouting the drive in.Open AK 511 cameras on 511.alaska.gov →
Skiers and chairlifts at the snowy base area of Alyeska Resort seen from above
Alyeska Resort, where the live mountain cams point. The peak collects roughly 600 inches of snow a year.

Heading into the backcountry or driving in?

Turnagain Pass and the slopes around Girdwood are serious avalanche terrain. Before any backcountry travel, read the daily advisory from the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center. In winter the Seward Highway can close for weather or avalanche control, so check Alaska 511 for road conditions and closures before you drive.